Radiant cooling systems



Feb. 14,

Filed Feb.

1961 c. A. MILLS RADIANT COOLING SYSTEMS 5kg :4 gQ/Io t 4 w 5 I M a 5/10 5 W L f T T a a a 9 V .9 g /a 84/ gg/y .1. f mi "w 64 l /06 A K L A kt J k 5 LP. 1. IL

T 1 1 T i INVENTOR.

(Zn/ ENCE #6415.

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 14, 1961 c. A. MILLS 2,971,350

RADIANT COOLING SYSTEMS Filed Feb. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V ENTOR.

CLAEENCE A. M/u s, B

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throughout the space within the cooling tunnel.

therm, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 10,1958, Set. No. 714,164

3 Claims. c1. 62-272) In my co-pending application Serial No. 711,209,filed January 27, 1958, I have disclosed a new system of United StatesPatent radiant cooling by means of cold plates which absorb ultra I longinfrared heat rays from articles to be cooled or solidified withcontrolled crystallization. Normally the articles move along on aconveyor and the cold plates are either vertical for articles suspendedfrom the conveyor carrier such as hams, bacons or other meats orhorizontal for articles such as confections. In the latter case theconveyor belt is usually of canvas and polyethylene so as to bepenetrable to the ultra long infrared rays whether these rays aregenerated from the articles themselves or by the heat given off with achange of state as in the case of chocolate coatings whencrystallization sets in.

In order to prevent moisture condensation on the cold plates in mycopending case I have introduced within the tunnel air conditioned so asto have its dew point below the temperature at which the cold plates areoperated. Such currents of air with a controlled dew point will normallyextend throughout the interior of the tunnel.

In some cases, as for example in cooling meats the air with controlleddew point if it contacts the meats picks up moisture and that moisturenot only restricts the capacity of the air to prevent moisturecondensation on the plates but it also dries out the moisture from themeats which moisture is required to produce a satisfactory end product.

This application, which is thus a continuation-in-part of my aforenotedapplication Serial No. 711,209, filed January 27, 1958, has for itsobjective not only the use of air with controlled dew point as a meansof preventing condensation on the plates, but also the controlling ofthe disposition of such air to the immediate vicinity of the plates.

Thus it is my object to provide means for controlling the air withpredetermined dew point to a thin blanket of air adjacent the cold platesurfaces. The means which I employ does more than provide this blanketof air since it provides a moving current. Merely introducing air is notenough because this air would be quickly dissipated My inventionconsists in introducing air in a thin sheet and in withdrawing this sameair at a spaced position sufficiently distant that a thin blanket ofmoving air will be in continuous circulation against the surface of thecold plate.

In the drawings I have illustrated diagrammatically a sectional viewthrough a cooling tunnel for suspended meats in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic for cooling meats.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the lines 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the lines 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view of the apparatus employed to supply air with acontrolled dew point.

cross section of a tunnel 2,971,350 Patented Feb. 14, 1961 ICC Hunks ofmeat 1 are suspended from pivoted hooks 2 carried by the links 3 of aconveyor having pulleys 4 which ride along a track 5. The pieces of meatare put on the hooks at one end and removed at the other the conveyorpassing around looped tracks at the ends so that its operation iscontinuous.

The cooling plates 6, 6a illustrated are the type of hollow sheet metalfabrications having a plurality of interconnected passageway portions inthe form of a single sheet of homogeneous metal which may be made forexample in accordance with the method disclosed in the Grenell PatentNo. 2,690,002, granted Sept. 28, 1954. The cooling plates consist offlat portions "7 between the tubes 8.

Figure 1 shows a sectional view with the tubes 8 bisectedlongitudinally. Figure 3 illustrates one arrangement for introducing theair having a dew point lower than the temperature to which thecirculating cooling fluid cools the plates. The air which has beentreated to the predetermined dew point is introduced through a series ofspaced pipes 9 having perforations therein. This airis withdrawn througha series of spaced pipes 10.

Figure 2 shows in diagrammatic form how the air is introduced throughthe pipes 9a and withdrawn through the pipes 10a. It will be obviousthat the air treated to reduce its dew point passes as a blanketconfined to close proximity to the cold plates. It is, of course,necessary that the blankets of air are withdrawn at spaced intervalsbecause if the air were to be introduced at the bottom of the coolingplates and exposed to a wide space before being Withdrawn, it would loseits momentum and mix with the air in the tunnel where its eifectivenessin preventing moisture condensation on the plates would be impaired.

Since the air blanket with a predetermined dew point is withdrawn beforeit has a chance to mix with the air in the enclosure there is notendency to dry out the moisture in the meat.

Also being kept free of moisture condensation the cooling plates, whichare carbon black coated, maintain their maximum efficiency of absorbingthe ultra long infrared rays which are given off from the surface andfrom deep down below the surface of the meats.

In the co-pending application Serial No. 643,869, filed March 4, 1957, Ihave shown drip gutters for carrying off the condensation on the plates,but with my new improvements there is no necessity for drip guttersbecause there is substantially no condensation.

As an example of suitable apparatus for preparing an air supply with acontrolled dew point, Figure 3 is a reproduction of the apparatusforming one of the figures in my copending application Serial No.711,209, filed January 27, 1958. It is described in my copending case asfollows:

For controlling the dew point of the air admitted to the inlet header, Ihave indicated the two brine coils 10c and 11 supplied with brine of apredetermined temperature through a one-way flow valve 11a. The brine orother coolant liquid flows to the brine coils, the outlets of whichconnect with a circulator pump 12. The recirculated coolant liquidpasses to a thermostat 13 which controls the flow and temperature of therecirculated liquid to the three way motorized mixing valve 14, fromwhich a certain amount of coolant liquid fiows back and mixes with inletliquid. In the event the temperature control waivers the other branchline permits a return to the coolant liquid supply through the pipe 15.

The air conditioned within the casing introduces air through the airfilter 16. After being cooled through the first set of cooling coilsduring which the dew point as well as the temperature is reduced, theair passes through a dehumidifier unit in which deliquescent chemicalsin trays still further reduce the dew point of the air. This actiongives off heat so that the air leaving the dehumidifier unit is too warmfor introduction into the cooling conveyor; jToagainreducethetemperature a desired amount-the air passes through thesecond-brine cooling chamber and is thentakenintothe blower 17 fromwhich it is discharged through the duct 18 into the air distributionpipes from' which dehumidified air may be supplied to the spaced pipes v9. g i A, I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto'secure by Letters Patent is;

1. In combination with a carbon black coated cooling plate for absorbingultra long infrared heat rays, means for preventingmoisturecondensation; on theplate comprising a pipe having perforationspositioned to direct air currents parallel with the surface of the plateand another pipe spaced from the first noted pipe and havingperforations to provide intakes for the air from the perforations on thefiISlIi'IlOIGd pipe whereby a blanket of air will circulate along andinsulate the surface of the cold plate, and means for controlling thedew point of the air in the air blanket to prevent moisture condensationon the plate. 1

2. In combination with a carbon black coated cooling plate for absorbingultra long infra red heat'rays, a 25 combination which effectivelyprevents moisture condensation on the cooling plate comprising means fordirecting a thin blanket of air having a predetermined dew point intosurface contact with the cooling plate.

3. In combination with a carbon black coated cooling plate for absorbingultra long infra red heat rays, a combination which etfectivelypr'events moisture condensation on the cooling plate comprisingmeansvfor directing a thin blanket of air having-a predetermined dewpoint into surface contact with the cooling plate, said 1neanscomprising air nozzles for projecting air withthe controlled dew pointalong the surface of the plate and air suction devices spaced from theair nozzles" to withdraw the air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS156,269 H r A 697,679 Siebert Apr. 15,1902 2,152,291 Starr Mar 28, 12392,251,617 Pirnie Aug; 5', 1941 2,405,834 Kleist Aug. 13;1946 2,523,957Kleist Sept 26, 1959 2,783,618

Mills Mar. 8 1957

